Predicting the College Football Playoff committee’s excuses for Ohio State, Oklahoma State, and TCU

If there’s one thing we’ve learned about the College Football Playoff committee, it’s that the group is fond of moving the goalposts. We wouldn’t know this if it weren’t for the weekly announcements of why certain teams are ranked in certain places. Sometimes value is placed on teams that are consistent on both sides of the ball, sometimes on teams that are flashy on offense.

Sometimes, the committee offers confusing reasons for why a team that lost a football game isn’t actually that all bad. With that in mind, every week we’re going to attempt to predict the playoff committee’s possible excuses for why teams that lost the past week are actually still quite possibly headed to the playoff.

Keep your head up, Buckeyes fans!

”Last year, our committee made a decision to let Ohio State into the College Football Playoff. People yelled at us. But did you see Ezekiel Elliott against Alabama and Oregon? He was unstoppable.

After the Buckeyes’ loss Saturday night, Ezekiel Elliott complained about how poorly Ohio State’s coaches managed the game. They didn’t give him the ball, and they lost 17-14.

It’s our official stance as a committee that Elliott was absolutely right. Urban Meyer should’ve given him the dang ball, over and over and over again. Based on what we saw last year, the Buckeyes absolutely would’ve won if they’d just given Elliott the dang ball.

We know Ohio State’s peak potential. We were wise enough to allow them to display it in the inaugural version of college football’s new premier event, the College Football Playoff. We know the Buckeyes weren’t allowed to play at their peak potential Saturday night, and for that reason, we’re not dinging them for their loss.”

”The Cowboys fell behind in the first half and then couldn’t stop Baylor’s third-string QB, who threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third after an injury to Jarrett Stidham to give the Bears a 45-35 win.

Last year, our committee made a decision to let Ohio State into the College Football Playoff. People yelled at us. They were starting a third-string QB! How could they compete? But did you see Cardale Jones against Alabama and Oregon? He was unstoppable. Boy, that was a freakin’ great Playoff last year.

Losing to a third-string QB is not a demerit, it’s a sign that you’re playoff ready.”

”TCU lost by one point to a strong Oklahoma team and without stud QB Trevone Boykin. In fact, they were playing third-string QB Bram Kohlhausen.

It would be unfair of us to rank TCU based on how they played with Kohlhausen, a third-stringer, at the helm knowing how much more effective they can be with Boykin. And there’s nothing more Playoiff-caliber than playing with a third-string QB.

Look, the Big 12 got upset with us for letting zero teams in last year, so we’re gonna have to find a way to get one of these guys in.”

“No, we are not arguing for a team that lost to UConn. There are rules.”